Various types of movable bleacher stands have been developed of late for installation in a multi-purpose hall or gymnasium. A typical movable bleacher stand includes a plurality of retractable multi-stepped stand sections, both sides of which are supported by movable frees. When the bleacher stand is not used, the movable support frames are usually kept in their retracted positions, where the plurality of stepped stand sections are held stacked or nested on one another in a relatively small overall configuration, thereby clearing the floor. In order to use the bleacher stand, the movable support frees are advanced to extend the stand sections into a multi-stepped configuration. For this purpose, the chairs to be installed on the stepped floor sections are conventionally of such design that they tilt down and lie flat on the floor surface for storage when not in use. Typically, in the prior-art bleacher stand, a plurality of support blocks are located spaced apart side by side on the support base, and one or more elongated support beams are placed transversely on these blocks. Mounted upright on the support beams in a spaced-apart relationship are a plurality of support legs of the chairs, upon the upper ends of which armrests are mounted. Seats and backrests extend or span between two adjacent support posts. In order to store the chairs, the support blocks together .with the support beam are tilted forward, causing the support legs, seats, backrests and armrests to be stacked flat one upon another on the floor.
With this type of collapsible chairs, it is essential to reduce the collapsed configuration of each chair to a minimum for space economy. In order to meet this requirement, it has conventionally been attempted to use thinner support blocks and legs. However, with these chairs, it is difficult to meet the demand, for example, of a theater where chairs weighty and sturdy in appearance are needed.
Moreover, in the conventional arrangement where the support blocks, beams and legs are simply designed to be tilted, it is necessary to .employ short armrests. Otherwise, they extend outwardly beyond the front edge of the floor section when the chair is collapsed flat. The short armrests are not sufficiently comfortable to rest our arms on, while, at the same time, they lack a weighty appearance.
These problems are not limited to the prior-art chairs to be installed on the multi-stage, stepped movable bleacher stand, but also are found in those chairs for use on a single-stage, flat movable bleacher stand, which is designed to be retracted under the stage of a hall or gymnasium for storage.
A bleacher stand of a different design has been developed wherein foldable chairs are mounted on a lift mechanism that moves up and down between upper and lower positions. When it is intended to use the chairs, the lift mechanism remains in the upper position to hold the chairs out on the floor, and when not in use, the mechanism is retracted down to the lower position to keep the chairs stored under the floor. However, with this type of bleacher stand, it is impossible to employ chairs weighty in appearance and sturdy in construction since the storage opening made in the floor must be kept at a minimum size.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved foldable chair which is capable of overcoming these and other problems.